cowgirl in clogs.

It has been a bit over a year since my initial diagnosis and hospitalization for Chrohns Disease. Since Valentine's Day, I have been (mostly) quietly suffering from a painful development (let's not get too graphic) and treating it as I was told without any success. It wasn't until last weekend that I just couldn't take the pain anymore. I knew last Sunday, that I would end up in the ER or at the very least on an operating table within a few days. I avoided the ER because they tend to give steroids to everyone and steroids are definitely not me-friendly and I didn't want to ruin all the progress I have made with my flare up (even though I still am in it, it has been way better than when it first started). I really thought about it and ended up going into work on Monday to tie up loose ends and let myself decide if or when I needed to take time off.

I called different surgeons recommended to me all morning until I got an appointment for Tuesday with the doctor I ended up with. Immediately after work on Monday, I started filling out and making moves to take the FMLA (family medical leave of absence). I knew that based on the amount of stress, paperwork, and obligations (even in only two months), I wouldn't cope well and my symptoms were getting worse and worse so I needed to refocus on healing and really making myself feel 'good' again.
I went to a Chrohns Walk today with about 20 of my supporters and even though I didn't have the energy to walk (my husband rented me a wheelchair and rolled me around) I had so many friends and family members walking for me and cheering me on. It made me feel very proud and also very humbled--sometimes it's okay to let people you love do things for you. Even if it means walking for you. Also, I was so exhausted just being outdoors for the first time in many days that I fell asleep right after eating some scrambled eggs and tots What a day! This is the outfit that I chose to wear on my Fundraiser Walk (in a wheelchair) and my first outfit since the surgery (most of the week I have been living in my old college oversized t-shirt).

I'm wearing: top-anthropologie, jeans-hudson, hat-vintage, clogs-lotta from stockholm, sunglasses-anthropologie

I know this hat is super extra--embroidery, rhinestones, giant bright blue roses but I still love it. It was a vintage find and keeps it's shape really well in storage. It really keeps the sun out and gives me that classic cowgirl feeling when I wear it. I've never been much of a baseball cap kinda girl. Cowgirl hat and clogs might not be everybody's style, and I get that, I thought about wearing my cowgirl boots but they just didn't go with my outfit the right way. So just call me the Cowgirl in Clogs for now! What kind of hats do you wear to keep out the sun? Have you ever gone through health crisis(es) that forced you to leave your job? Has the kindness of others helped you through tough times and built you up? Have you ever walked in a fundraiser before? Let me know in the comments. xx